


Saving the World with the Power of Physics

by rere_senpai



Series: The Science Behind This World Kakashi Saved [1]
Category: Naruto
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - Time Travel, Anbu Hatake Kakashi, Angst, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Angst with a Happy Ending, Author has limited knowledge, Dimension Travel, Everybody Lives, Fix-It, Gen, Good Uchiha Obito, Hatake Kakashi-centric, Hokage Hatake Kakashi, Hurt/Comfort, Identity Issues, Identity Reveal, Jinchuuriki Hatake Kakashi, Jinchuuriki-centric, Kannabi Bridge Mission, Light crack, Missing-Nin Hatake Kakashi, Post-Kannabi Bridge Mission, Rokudaime Hatake Kakashi, Time Travel, Time Travel Fix-It, Whump, anbu uchiha obito, author is dumb, no beta we die like men
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-27
Updated: 2020-06-11
Packaged: 2021-03-01 20:08:10
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 17
Words: 15,281
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23872912
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/rere_senpai/pseuds/rere_senpai
Summary: How does one travel back to a world where travel through space, time and dimension was barely concept? Kakashi has a feeling it's due to his Mangekyou, but this world he's in has yet to awaken Kamui.Perhaps physics was the only explanation available in this time.Originally titledThe Physics Behind How Kakashi Saved the World
Relationships: Hatake Kakashi & Namikaze Minato, Hatake Kakashi & Nohara Rin & Uchiha Obito, Hatake Kakashi & Uchiha Obito, Hatake Kakashi & Uzumaki Naruto
Series: The Science Behind This World Kakashi Saved [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1720483
Comments: 362
Kudos: 1155





	1. Displacement

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> #### displacement
> 
> /dɪsˈpleɪsm(ə)nt/
> 
> _noun_   
>  `1. the action of moving something from its place or position.`

Waking up in a body smaller than your own is an experience Kakashi doesn’t want to experience again. His small soft hands pat around this foreign body, adjusting to the way his skin remains unblemished from future scars. He traces over the scar that haunts his eye, and opens it, revealing a world he left behind a few decades ago.

He gets comfortable in this body and lifts himself off the bed, and is very underwhelmed by the world at such a short height. He muses at the thought of his cute little genin, and wonders how much taller he would be compared to them at the same age. He rids himself of his musings and strides through the Hatake compound in search of a calendar he knows to be lying around.

He almost arrives late by habit and inwardly curses his best friend for being such a bad influence. Either way he arrives on time to the training grounds and hopes that it doesn’t warrant Minato-sensei’s suspicions yet.

He greets Rin with enough enthusiasm as appropriate for his supposed angst, and nods to the blond man who smiles a gentle smile, but not unlike his son to come.

He looks away before he imagines the whiskers on his face, and instead focuses his attention on his other teammate.

He spends the afternoon trying not to call them by the names of Team 7 of the future- the new Legendary Sannins. He averts his gaze from the past future and dwells his attention on the current past.

It’s a difficult feat to manage when he knows the potential this team had; if he hadn’t screwed them over.

Minato notices that his lonely student engages with his teammates with a familiarity from experiences he hasn’t witnessed. He smiles at this exchange before catching onto the wistful gaze he held with the boy, before he turned away.

_(He worries, but he knows the boy will not react well to his concern, and instead files this for a later conversation.)_

Kakashi thinks that his mission in the past is going well so far. He stares at the summoning scroll in his hand, hoping against all odds that the seal his student developed for him would work regardless of all space and time. He’s spent a month or so in this new world training his chakra reserves, expanding it in order to support this quest.

_(And he knows it works. He’s here after all.)_

He signs the contract and reunites with his beloved ninken, all so small but full of the future’s wisdom. They greet him warmly promptly before dogpiling onto him. He laughs such a bright laugh that no one would believe it to be _the_ Kakashi Hatake, and falls on his back, exhausted from the big chakra withdrawn from summoning his pack.

He misses this. He missed them.

_(He thinks that maybe going to the past is a mistake, and that he’s going fuck up this future too. Pakkun would like him to think otherwise, after all, he’s not alone in this anymore.)_

That night, he sleeps surrounded by his beloved ninken, who at this point in time are just dogs- puppies. It’s quite an endearing sight, one that Kakashi wouldn’t mind staying in forever.

_(‘But his students,’ he thinks, and he remembers his mission, and all the hardships he’s accepted for this mission._

_He remembers himself.)_

They meet again under the trees of the same training ground. The shade helps him cool off from Minato’s spar, and he inwardly curses himself for having such a massive growth spurt.

Whatever, he still has another month to get his rhythm back.

Minato-sensei calls everyone over and pairs Obito off with Kakashi while he takes Rin to the side to observe. Obito stands on the other side of the field, and Kakashi remains rooted in this present, trying to separate the image of a taller, much harsher Obito in his Madara garb.

They take off at the signal, and with Kakashi’s smaller form, he quickly vanishes to the trees almost unseen to even Minato himself. He decides on a battle strategy easily befitting the Kakashi of the past, and quickly makes a shadow clone standing near the edge of where the trees meet the field.

“Coward Bakashi!” Obito shouts. “How dare you run from me!”

The shadow clone leaps from its confines in the shadows.

Minato-sensei takes them out to eat later that week. Kakashi suspects that it’s something to do with his change in behaviour and morals, but he plays his detached role quite well. It’s not like there’s much to do to sell his act- just brood about the future and ignore whatever Obito’s saying, even though it weighs heavy on his heart every time he has to acknowledge the ghosts of his pack, both past and present.

Minato raises a brow, but doesn’t comment, and instead lifts up the flap and ushers them into Ichiraku’s. He takes a seat inside the booth and inhales the scent of fresh ramen and general peace.

It’s the little things that make him realise what he’s missing out on.

They order modestly (or whatever Obito calls modest, the boy holds no bounds) and spark up idle chatter about their missions and training in general. It’s Obito who stirs the conversation to Kakashi’s behaviour, and honestly he saw this coming.

_(He thinks of a knucklehead ninja, his successor and the world’s saviour. They’re too alike.)_

He merely smiles, an action so unlike the Kakashi they know so well, yet it was the only thing he could do.

 _“I got lost on the road of life.”_ He says. _“But now I’m back.”_


	2. Velocity

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> #### velocity
> 
> /vɪˈlɒsɪti/
> 
> _noun_   
>  `the speed of something in a given direction.`

Perhaps revealing his new philosophical stance on life was kind of a dumb move on his part, but it has Obito regarding him with a higher praises, or whatever you call Obito’s sarcastic flattery. After eating out, Minato-sensei takes them to the top of the Hokage mountain, where only three heads stand.

Peering down the village under the dim glow of the stars with the cool breeze washing over his stress is a refreshing notion he wished to have done more in his past future. It’s startling how much the village has grown over the past few decades, and finally seeing it as the tiny village it is suddenly makes him homesick.

_(He doesn’t want to do this anymore. He doesn’t want to go through the heartache of losing anyone anymore, not when he knows he could have easily prevented it._

_He doesn’t want to be responsible for the future anymore.)_

He feels a sturdy hand ground him back to the current past. He feels the reassuring smile that he knows is etched onto his teacher’s face, and knows for a fact that these were the qualities fit for a hokage.

_(And he can’t help but feel the guilt as he masquerades as the Rokudaime, a title he stole from his best friend, who he himself had pronounced dead, despite the lack of evidence._

_Why didn’t he retrieve the body?)_

He’s pulled back into reality when Minato-sensei wraps his arms around his small frame, and for once all he can see are the stars that carry the hopes and dreams of this village.

“We’ll get through this together.” Minato says. “So put your faith in me- in us.” He smiles.

From one hokage to another, from one jounin-sensei to another, Kakashi knows how helpless Minato feels when he watches Kakashi’s self-destructive ways, so he lets himself be a child under the whispering stars and buries his face and cries his sins of the future away.

He trains and trains and trains until he’s managed to recover most of his chakra reserves. It’s quite draining to continue casting a light genjutsu on himself, but he doesn’t know how to explain why he suddenly covers up his lone eye, let alone convince them that it doesn’t affect his depth perception.

_(He recounts his time after the skirmish against the Uchiha and the controversies behind his missing eye and missing teammate. The sly whispers adults cast when he walks around with a slant hitaite almost drives him back to his father’s death.)_

He shakes himself out of his reverie when Obito walks up to him.

“What’s up Bakashi?” He greets. “Are you here to admit that I’m going to be hokage one day?”

“That’s for another day.” He leads them into the woods where roaming ears would lose focus and instead direct their attention to the genjustu Kakashi had casted prior to this meeting.

“I need you to promise me something Obito.”

Getting Obito to swear absolute fealty to Konoha for Rin’s sake wasn’t hard, and getting him to promise Rin’s happiness was even easier. He just wished it wasn’t such a suspicious deal, because now Obito eyes him wearily, expecting him to turn his back on them at any given moment now that he has sworn responsibility for the team.

But it’s also led them to becoming closer than ever.

After training sessions, when Minato-sensei’s jounin career picked up because of the war, he would invite Obito to a friendly spar, though Obito would say otherwise. It’s good practise, he says, and this is war.

_(He doesn’t speak of his true reasons for training Obito so hard. Not until later.)_

It’s been weeks since his arrival, and Kakashi is escorted to the Hokage Tower.

Upon his promotion to becoming jounin, Kakashi now realises he’s spent too much time floundering around instead of planning ahead, yet, he can’t help but feel content with his choices.

To be fair, it’s a stupid decision on his part to even partake in thise fool’s errand to fix a past when he already has a stable future.

Wouldn’t it be better to just rest already?

_(But then he remembers a sunshine blond robbed of a family, his own broody Uchiha, deprived of a normal childhood._

_And it’s all his fault.)_

He leaves the Hokage’s tower with his drive to create the best future for his precious little students stronger than ever. He leaves the tower confident in his abilities as the former Copy Nin of Konoha, the past Rokudaime Hokage. And most of all, he is confident that he can pull his weight as a member of Team 7.

Obito raises a brow at Kakashi’s noticeable joy, Rin smiles at him while Minato takes it all in stride. If his students are content, then for today, no enemy ninja will be killed. At least, by Minato.

_(He takes them all out to dinner, because he knows that with Kakashi’s promotion, he will be dragged back into the frontlines. For all he knew, this would be the last time he saw all three of his cute little students._

_Ah how time flies.)_

He counts down the days until the cursed mission, and reviews his plans to avoid it and all the catastrophes that follow like a ball in a field of dominoes, lined up to topple one another until all that remains is the chaos.

He has to avoid Obito getting trapped under the damn boulders. ( _A cave,_ he reminds himself. They have to stay away from caves.)

Obito was the key to every tragedy; Rin’s death, the kyuubi rampage, the Uchiha massacre, Akatsuki, the tree, Kaguya’s resurrection.

It’s a headache to think about, but at least it makes the future easier to protect.

He relays the outline of his plan to his ninken, who will be his safety net for this mission.

_(If he dies saving Obito from a bunch of rocks, then his ninken will continue in his stead.)_

And so, with a heavy heart and a sober mind, he gathers all the things he needs before sealing them onto his bare arm, where he goes through the motions of the seal his student had modified and upgraded, painting each stroke with such care, before slipping his arm guard back on.


	3. Acceleration

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> #### acceleration
> 
> /əksɛləˈreɪʃ(ə)n/
> 
> _verb_   
>  `increase in speed or rate.`

Kakashi’s heart pounds as he and Minato-sensei split paths. He carries his teacher’s iconic three-pronged kunai like a lifeline, before he manages to finally get his head in the game.

He tells Obito to keep close to Rin, and makes sure that he goes in front of them in case of a trap like boulders. They travel discreetly in silence, and in no time at all they reach camp. He lets them set up base while he surveys their perimeters, which, thankfully, are clear of any enemy ninja.

“Hey Bakashi,” Obito calls, “why are we setting up camp?”

He hands out rations he prepared earlier, and begins to cave them in on his plan. Needless to say, the two are pretty confused as to why he prolonged such an innocent mission, but they don’t complain.

It’s not like they can anyway. He’s the genius captain with a damn plan that can save a future from tragedies. If they were to walk out, the only thing that would greet them is death.

_(He let’s Obito take the first watch. After all, it’s not like the boy will need that much rest if most of the work will be done by the explosives he sealed in his scroll packed away on the inside of his kunai pouch.)_

They wake up to the dawn of a purple sky feeling refreshed and kinda jittery.

He reviews the plan once again, and once he hears no objections, he sets out to scout, wary of any caves and kidnapping nins.

_(He eyes a dark figure in the trees. If he has Obito’s Sharingan then he’s sure to be able to find a stupid Zetsu.)_

He treads cautiously, and splits them off.

He summons a shadow clone or two and sends them off to destroy any enemy ninja, that might possibly kidnap Rin and cause Obito to chase after her and die under a cave, or will highly likely to come and investigate the commotion with a damn bridge.

In the meantime, he has an old man Uchiha to find.

It’s satisfying to get revenge, though this revenge was kinda dry when all he had to do was stab an old dude that crumbled away at the slightest touch.

But hey at least the chase was amusing. Was this why Naruto was so insistent on chasing after Sasuke? If so then he understands wholeheartedly. Or maybe it would be more appropriate to compare this situation to Sasuke and Itachi. Hm, but from what he heard, Itachi was innocent, and Sasuke’s revenge was all for nought. Tough.

He wonders how he’s supposed to explain the blood he’s got on him, that is until he sees the bloody mess his clones are in.

He deals with the last few nins before jumping off the bridge, which is the signal for his teammates to activate the explosions.

Ah, the smell of chakra enhanced gunpowder was enough to make him forget about the damn boulder. Of course, he couldn’t ignore it anymore when he opens his eyes _(it’s then that he remembers the hollowness he felt before Naruto restored his missing eye)_ to find his side pinned under the weight of the bridge.

“Fuck.”

Damn, maybe he should’ve let Madara live, if the man was willing to take a Hatake in instead of his desired successor.

Oh kami he’s so _screwed._

He screws his eyes shut as he sharply breathes through his clothed teeth. All he can hear now is the pounding in his ears and the pain is so unbearable that he wonders how the hell Obito managed to even give his eye away and call it a gift.

 _He doesn’t want to die alone,_ is the thought that echoes through the chaos that is his mind. Maybe it’s his self-preservation speaking, but either way he finds himself whimpering at the thought of rotting down here under these godforsaken stones alone.

Would they even realise he’s still here?

Wait, hold on.

Shit, he’s so dumb.

High on adrenaline, he gathers the strength beneath the debris to single handedly sign a shadow clone or two into existence. He can feel the chakra exhaustion quickly nipping at his consciousness, and gets his clones to work.

The world goes to black as soon as the pain becomes nothing more than a numbing sensation that pounds aggressively against his everything.

Who knows, maybe this was all a fever dream and that he’s still an old man in a future where his cute little students are the new Three Legendary Sannin, and parents to the Team 7 of the future.

He wakes up and curses himself for being such an optimist.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm actually so touched with all your comments, kudos and hits <3
> 
> I'll be honest, this fanfic was just me indulging in what I wanted to happen in the other fanfics I was reading with the same plot lol.


	4. Inertia

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> #### inertia
> 
> /ɪˈnəːʃə/
> 
> _noun_  
> ` a property of matter by which it continues in its existing state of rest or uniform motion in a straight line, unless that state is changed by an external force.`

He wakes up in a stupid hospital where the doctors and nurses are all run dry through this war. They explain the great devastation that happened to Kakashi’s right side.

He curses yet again at the time he has to spend at the hospital. He misses Sakura and her miracles. Maybe she can make him a whole side just like she did with Naruto’s arm. He smiles at the thought.

His team visits everyday. They don’t all meet up at the same days, but when they do it’s all filled with good news of the war finally coming to its end. They narrate their days spent in the village, and not once did they mention anything negative.

It’s… heartwarming to say the least.

Given the state of his side, he’s been put off active duty until an unforeseen future; meaning he’ll never get back up.

Thankfully, since he managed to get the boulders off of him before he passed out, he had safely secured his life.

Meaning that he can still save the future.

Recovering is a pain.

Relearning how to sit, stand and even turn his head was embarrassing. He was the prodigy ninja! The genius Hatake who became genin at 5 and chunin by the time his cohort had graduated. _What the hell was the jounin doing walking with support rails?_

If his students were to find him like this, they’ll laugh their asses off until Sarada becomes Hokage. _Kami he was the Rokudaime! What the hell was he doing?_

Despite it all, he bears through this recovery with patience and definitely _does not snap at almost everyone for babying the shit out of him._ Nope, that’s just Obito pulling his usual bullshit again.

Thankfully, because he’s been visited by them at the hospital, it gives Rin an excuse to interact with the staff and observe situations that could be avoided with some experience and practise. By the time he’s out of the hospital with half his side scarred, Rin is a regular at the hospital.

She finds her place amongst others knowledged in her field of medicine and the like, and Kakashi is thankful for that, because that means he can avoid the foreseen future that includes bijuu and a chidori.

That was how it was, until Rin explains the mission she’s packing for a few days later after his release.

 _“It’s just a simple mission really.”_ She explained while making her way out of the village. _”I just have to replenish supplies for the teams out there.”_ She smiles.

_“It’s okay Kakashi. I’m not going to the front lines.”_

He can’t hear her anymore. Instead, he sends a shadow clone seal everything prepared into a scroll or two. Before he knows it, Rin is gone and he’s left with Obito’s curious gaze and steady hand.

“Are you worried I can’t fulfill my promise and protect her?” Obito asks, curious as to where Kakashi’s panic was brought about from. “Come on, put some faith in your teammates Bakashi.” He smiles.

It pins him back to reality, and he remembers there’s no Madara in this world.

_But Zetsu is still out there._

With an eye crinkled in mirth, the shadow clone seeing Rin off pops out of existence, and the real Kakashi in the outskirts of Konoha waits in a clearing full of bloody corpses decimated by a tanto carrying all that was left of a great man.

He is ready.

With his weapons sealed in his left arm, and the two scrolls full of his belongings in his right, he is prepared to make the choice and pull a Sasuke- well, an Itachi would be more appropriate.

As he waits under the cover of the trees, he thinks of Team 7 of no particular generation. The general consensus for Team 7 is that they all turn out to be damn powerful ninja who are either heroes or are the cause of an apocalypse.

_(Who knew Obito would have been able to cause such catastrophes?)_

Team 7, or at least the ones who turned out to be Legendary Sannins always had a pattern; an ambitious knucklehead, a healer, and a deserter.

This time around, he’s happy to take Obito’s place and burden from him, and finally give him a chance at becoming Hokage. It’s the least he can do for the best friend he failed in his world.

He picks up rustling in the leaves, and takes that as his sign to move. Anytime now Zetsu would come and kidnap Rin. With a henge on, he infuses his limbs with chakra and leaps.

Getting kidnapped was an experience.

Getting kidnapped then tortured because he accidentally dropped his henge in the middle of his abduction? A whole adventure if his experience in the wars was something.

Getting kidnapped then tortured and then sent off to a crazy cult to get the bijuu sealed in him? Traumatising, but bearable.

And so, once the bijuu was sealed and all he could feel was the burning sensation that infested his chakra coils. Drowsy and with no sense of direction or even location, he trudges around the forest **to Konoha.**

No wait, that wasn’t him.

His eyes widen through the mist as he realises just what had occurred.

He’s a ticking time bomb **to Konoha.**

He turns away from his heart’s pull **to the village he knows and loves** and wanders away.

_(But not before Rin caught a glimpse of silver in a forest full of death.)_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm actually honoured by all the kind feedback you guys give me <3
> 
> I can't wait to upload the next chapters for you guys ^^


	5. Action

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> #### Action
> 
> /ˈakʃ(ə)n/
> 
> _physics_   
>  `A process or condition of acting or moving, as opposed to rest; the doing of something; exertion of power or force, as when one body acts on another; the effect of power exerted on one body by another.`

It’s on his way out to a relief mission that he encounters a very startled Obito who runs up to him in desperation.

“Sensei!” Distress coats his title and Minato’s heart thrums anxiously as his student’s worry rolls off of him in waves. “Kakashi’s missing!”

Startled out of his mind, he quickly teleports himself to his kunai he had embedded in his student’s apartment, taking Obito along for the ride. Kakashi’s apartment was definitely empty, or well, emptier than it had been, but truth be told Minato couldn’t tell. Not with how

“Don’t worry Obito-kun, he could be at the hospital or even the training field.” He doesn’t know who he’s trying to reassure.

Obito shakes his head. “We were talking near the gates after we had sent Rin off on her mission when he disappeared.” He explains, arms thrashing wildly in the air, conveying his perplexion. “It turned out that it was a clone this whole time!”

It wasn’t surprising to know that Kakashi had mastered a forbidden jutsu, he was making one after all. But for him to use it and deceive his teammates and promptly disappear with his belongings nowhere to be seen?

That’s missing nin action.

He turns to Obito, “What was Rin’s mission exactly?”

They run into Rin just as they made their way out of their search for the genius jounin when she runs up to Minato in a similar fashion as Obito had, and admits what she saw.

“I saw something silver in the forest.” She says. “But it couldn’t be Kakashi, because he’s meant to be in Konoha, resting.”

“Well he’s not.” Minato deadpans as Obito shares his whacky experience with Kakashi to Rin.

His two students turn to him, faces keen with determination that Minato knows won’t be able to deny them of whatever request they’ve concocted.

“We need to go after him!”

He is thankful that his mission isn’t too far in the frontlines to be dangerous enough for his students, but also far enough that they can search for the possibly missing nin without too much worry.

They arrive quickly to the location and split off once he hands them his specialised kunai. He makes his presence announced and quickly takes down the enemy, allowing the ninja he was relieving to head back and call for his relief.

He continues to take down enemies to ensure the safety of his students and to also make it easier for whoever’s going to take his place next.

Once he’s sure that there’s no more enemy ninja coming, he surveys the clearing that’s been loaded with his kunai and proceeds to pick them off the bloodied soil. As soon as he packs his kunai away, his shift is over and he heads over to where he presumes his students are.

The scene that greets him is… quite the sight.

Kakashi passed out. It’s the only explanation he has that can explain how and why there’s a three tailed turtle in front of him.

He looks around and takes in the chaos that was **the village** during Pein’s attack. He sees a great big dent and recognises that as the **Konoha** he managed to restore.

He’s in his mindscape, he deduces. His mindscape is the demolition of **Konoha.**

He looks back up to the bijuu he’s now cohabiting, and smiles.

“Yo.”

The three-tails, Isobu, is actually kinda endearing once you let release the chains and calm him down. He’s like a young boy trying his best to make up a personality that reached the image he’s stuck with.

A _hard-shelled personality,_ pun not intended, but very much welcomed.

“So, what’re you doing here?” He strikes up a conversation because if his student could tame and befriend the most nasty of the lot, then surely he could manage with the most timid.

Of course, he doesn’t have the power of Talk-no-jutsu in his arsenal.

“I was sealed.” The turtle deadpans.

“Why?” Kakashi tilts his head in a way that Naruto always did that made everyone either frustrated or endeared.

“Because some ninja had a plan that required me to be sealed into a **Konoha** nin.” Isobu continues. “They said that I’ll be set free.”

Bingo. There it was, the reason why Rin had killed herself with Kakashi’s hand.

He ponders a little, and realises that, wow he has a guest to entertain and damn his social skills are as shit as ever. It’s a wonder how he made Hokage.

“Do you still want to be free?” He asks, and his mind races to think of ways to get an alliance up and running. After all, the Yondaime Mizukage managed, why couldn’t he?

_(Because your social skills are up to par with a rock, the traitorous part of his mind echoes in a voice eerily similar to Obito’s.)_

“Yes shinobi-san.”

“Maa, Kakashi is fine.” He says.

“Kakashi-san.” Isobu corrects. “Are you going to set me free?”

“Yes.” He answers, because in the end he’d gotten attached to this timid bijuu and would actually want to see it free instead of trapped under Akatsuki's rule. “But I have some things I need to do first Isobu-kun.”

Isobu tilts his head, curious.

“I have things to do before I die, and a world to explore.” He continues. “And I’d like your help with them.”

Isobu allows for some silence to reign long enough for Kakashi to start doubting himself.

“What will I get in return?”

Kakashi smiles.

“A companion and freedom.”

The sanbi relents, and sets his three tails lower in respect.

“What is it that you need help with Kakashi-san?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It may seem that Kakashi managed an alliance too quick, but there's a timeskip somewhere in there lol
> 
> Probably took him hours,, but there's a chapter later on that goes into depth of how Kakashi managed to talk Isobu into an alliance.


	6. Reaction

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> #### reaction
> 
> /rɪˈakʃ(ə)n/
> 
> _physics_  
> ` all forces occur in pairs such that if one object exerts a force on another object, then the second object exerts an equal and opposite reaction force on the first.`

Waking up limp on someone’s shoulder wasn’t how he expected things to be after setting up an alliance with the three-tails. Granted, he didn’t even expect to pass out after aimlessly wandering away from where his heart ached to be,

He lifts his head from the tickle of yellow hair and the person who he’s slouched on halts to a stop. He’s slipped off the yellow star’s shoulder and laid onto the ground, where all he sees is a blur of green, muddy blue, and yellow.

“Kakashi?” He hears someone call out to him, but he’s got no chakra left to enhance his injured limbs.

_I can help with that Kakashi-san._

No, he’d rather not expose himself as a jinchuuriki just yet. (Thank you, Isobu-kun.)

His vision clears and he sees Rin and her purple markings, her hand hovering above him in a therapeutic glow, He sees his sensei linger close, and Obito even closer.

Right, he disappeared and passed out.

“Kakashi what are you doing out here?” It’s Minato-sensei that asks.

He smiles and he knows it’s out of place in all of this, but it’s the only thing he can do that doesn’t drain him of energy.

“I was lost on the road of life sensei.” He says. “And it seems like my next stop is far away from Konoha.”

He distinctly hears Obito mutter under his breath, but he’s too out of it to actually pay attention, heightened senses or not. What he _does_ catch is Minato-sensei’s sigh, and inwardly winces. Yeah, that’s not a good sign.

“Kakashi I won’t pretend to understand what you’re saying.” His sensei prods, frustrated. “But I need to know what you were doing out here.”

Kakashi remains silent for a bit, either thinking of another Obito worthy excuse or just plain exhausted from over-exerting himself from his resting period.

Either way he easily manages to make Minato shift uncomfortably while he waits for a solution. 

“I was just keeping a promise to a friend.” He shrugs. “He can rest in peace now.”

A shiver crawls up everyone’s spine. Why does Kakashi make it sound like this… friend died?

Also, Kakashi? Friend? Funny.

“Kakashi-“

“Oh look, is that Kushina-neechan?”

Surprisingly, that got the three to turn their heads, allowing Kakashi to quickly manoeuvre himself out of Rin’s hold and Minato’s supervision, with the help of Isobu of course.

He only feels Isobu’s curious gaze as he watches whatever drama Kakashi’s about to unfold.

With Isobu’s chakra pumped into his limbs for support, he manages to stand on his own two feet with a sway in each step as he prepares himself for this confrontation.

_(He pricks himself a little in preparation of his escape.)_

“K-Kakashi?!” All but one calls out, worry and confusion wound tightly in their voices.

Onyx meets onyx, and all he can remember is raikiri and the gaping hole that devastates Obito’s chest.

_(And he remembers Rin and his arm. But it’s long past its due date. He’s over it. That’s what he insists anyways.)_

“I’ve fulfilled my promise Obito.” His eyes are weary and exhausted, but he continues. “Keep your promise to me too yeah idiot?”

He has limited time, and he knows that any minute now he’ll be lost to Isobu’s chakra, and possibly lose himself in the process of a tail or two. He quickly slips his arm guard off and uses the borrowed chakra to unseal something into existence, a hitaite where ‘shinobi’ was carved into it.

It was to his surprise that he suddenly started healing at an exponential rate. Isobu’s chakra started to heal little scratches before actually attempting to restore his annihilated side. 

“K-Kakashi…” Minato’s eyes are full blown, as Kakashi’s was, “How are you healing so fast?”

Sharingan activated after his slip, Obito notices the odd chakra circling Kakashi’s form as the boy was swapping forehead protectors. _(Villages. Loyalties. Ties.)_

“Wait, that’s not Bakashi’s chakra.” 

Minato and Rin snap their attention to him, but it was Rin who asked, “What do you mean?”

“This is definitely not according to plan.” Kakashi whispers all but to himself, and meets their confused gazes. “Yes Obito, you’re right.”

All three ghosts turn back towards him, who now has Pakkun by his side.

“Isobu-kun’s generously donating his chakra to me.” He gives a look to his summon, who nods and readies his stance. “But you’d probably know him better as the sanbi.”

“Sanbi?!”

“Wait- Kakashi what are you-?!”

“Bakashi!!”

He smiles one more time, “Until we cross paths yeah?”

“Reverse Summoning Jutsu!”

_Kakashi’s gone._

_And he left with a different hitaite. Essentially abandoning his loyalty and ties with Konoha._

Minato peers over to his remaining students, who look to him in utter confusion, disbelief and panic.

“Sensei…” Rin breaks the suffocating silence. “What is he…?”

It’s Obito who strengthens his resolve.

“We need to go after him!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> _I hate physics with a burning passion._
> 
> I'm sorry, this story was written in the midst of my stupid physics report, which is why it's physics themed. Quarantine's been an emotional ride and I've spent it stressing over this stupid physics assignment and listening to my friend cry over her own physics assignment and honestly, _don't do physics._
> 
> I'm currently crying because I skipped so much of my other class work because I had to concentrate my remaining braincells on this stupid subject that I'm too burnt out to code my IT assignment (due Monday).
> 
> Thank you for your reviews and feedback, I really appreciate them in these trying times <3
> 
> (This chapter's probably rushed as hell but I write my stories and chapters in one sitting so the details will probably sort itself out in future chapters. _If I remember correctly lol._ But hey, I'm glad you're still here with me and my... eh writing.)


	7. Momentum

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> **momentum**  
>  /məˈmɛntəm/
> 
> `PHYSICS`   
>  _the quantity of motion of a moving body, measured as a product of its mass and velocity._

Everything is screaming at him to **go back. He needs to go back** and repent. Go back and cry himself to sleep until all his sins are washed and all his promises are fixed. Go back and apologise for letting them down, for not going back for Obito under the boulders, for not going back for Rin as she got kidnapped, for not going back for Minato on the night of kyuubi’s rampage.

Everything is telling him to **go back to Konoha** and that everything isn’t him, because he knows that the only way he can protect his precious people in this world, is by isolating himself. He can’t let his curse of tragedy inflict anyone else again.

He collapses in the modest clearing that was his summons’ **home** before his clan’s contract. All his stresses are embedded into the soil as tears, and Pakkun leaves him to grieve, only to come back with his brothers and coddle his small form in a dogpile.

He passes out in a clearing of dogs, and wakes up to Isobu’s curious gaze.

“What’s your plan now shinobi-san?” He asks like a little boy waiting for orders.

Like his peers when they await his orders as Rokudaime.

“In a previous life, peace had been attained through war.” He closes his eyes and remembers the Third Shinobi War, how it could’ve been prevented. The Fourth Shinobi War, the shortest but by far the hardest considering that it was the world versus a _madman._ “Would you like to hear how it came to that?” He asks.

Isobu, ever the curious little bijuu, nods. And Kakashi settles in.

“Naruto, who, in several decades' time, would have been hailed a hero, the world’s saviour, and Nanadaime Hokage. He was the pariah in Konohagakure. His **home.** ”

She swiftly makes it back to the village. Minato-sensei had sent her back to give the Hokage his report and stayed in the same spot Kakashi had disappeared in with Obito.

“I can use my sharingan.” Obito said. “Bakashi can’t escape if he can’t outmanoeuvre me!”

Rin turns to Minato-sensei, who smiled reassuringly.

“He can’t run away if he can’t outrun me.”

And so she plays messenger.

She races her way into the village and up the Hokage tower, where no one surprisingly stopped her. She’s halted by a chuunin who glances at her before allowing her passage into the Hokage’s office.

“Hokage-sama.” She bows. “Kakashi’s gone.”

Hiruzen Sarutobi, a man hailed as _‘God of Shinobi’,_ sat just a bit straighter. As a fellow prodigy he can only imagine what sort of enemy managed to get their hands on one injured, but just as determined Kakashi Hatake.

“What happened?”

Kakashi wakes up later and groans under the heavy weight of his pack.

“Boss!”

Ah how he’s missed them.

He rises from his position on the floor and traps them all in his arms before squeezing them in a hug little kids usually do. He releases them after a while and gets up, stretching his limbs and cracks a smile.

“It worked.”

Pakkun rolls his eyes as dogs do, and huffs. “Of course it worked, boss. You weren’t **Hokage** for nothing.”

“Nah, that was a fluke on Tsunade’s part.” He laughs and wow, he hasn’t laughed like that since his future.

“You doubt yourself too much.” Pakkun says and walks away, leading Kakashi to the next part of his plan. “Give yourself more credit pup.”

Pakkun leads him to a pile of scrolls before leaving him to his own. He’s glad that his plans with the shadow clones worked, and that they’ve managed to pack his stuff.

He glances at his bare arm again before unsealing everything else from the ink. His **hokage** flak jacket, **rokudaime** haori and drapes, along with his old **Konoha** forehead protector and **Anbu Hound** mask and armour fell into existence.

“Huh, where’s my ink?” Kakashi shakes his confusion away and goes through the storage seals on his clothes to find his missing piece. “Aha!”

With a cheerful smile so unlike the Kakashi of this era, he uncaps the ink and takes his brush. He pulls out a book titled _‘Sealing for ~~dummies~~ Kakashi-sensei!’_ and flips through it with practised ease.

“Now where was it? Oh here!”

The page he lands on is filled with seals of such high intricacy that only a handful of shinobi in this time can fully dissect just what’s happening in these seals. He’s ever so thankful that his student had a proficiency in this art, just as his parents did.

‘Thank you Naruto.’ The boy shined even in a time where his existence was mere fiction in Jiraiya’s novel.

Well, it’s time to get started.

_What are you sealing Kakashi-san?_

He smirks. ‘You.’

_But I’m already sealed?_

He hums. ‘Do you recognise any of these seals?’

 _Not exactly._ Kakashi can hear a ‘but’ teasing its way in. _But that seal looks kind of like the one you have on right now._ Isobu manages to direct Kakashi’s attention to a certain set of swirls, and his eyes flicker through the page’s content regarding it.

‘Well, hang on tight Isobu-kun, because this is gonna be one hell of a sealing.’

He dips his brush and drenches it in ink until the bristles are stained black. He quickly discards his top, and quickly curses his conjoined undershirt and mask.

“Now, what to wear…”

In the end, he quickly decides on his hokage flak jacket and hound mask, because it doesn’t allude to one specific thing. However, the question remains, the mask, or not the mask? That is the question.

In the end, he decides to take it off. From his experience, bare faced Kakashi was a sight unrecognised by all except his father, who was dead. So he strips his joint undershirt and mask off and tugs his shirt back over his head. He slips his jounin vest through his arms and ties his shinobi headband as a belt and settles his hound mask by his hip. 

Now for his hair. He can do it the easy way and use a hood, and easily get caught in the process. Or do a permanent change.

Dying his hair it is. Now, for what colour…?

Blond’s out of the question. No way in hell is he going to match the weirdos of the world. Red too, it’s too aggressive for him to live with.

_How about blue Kakashi-san?_

Blue? What a bold choice in colour… unless, of course, light blue?

_It’ll look similar to your hair right now. It’ll just be a small change._

‘Interesting. Thank you Isobu-kun’, he smiles. He’ll surely find blue hair dye on the road right?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I wasn't actually planning on uploading this chapter because I thought that I'd be so busy with IT that I wouldn't be able to revise this stupid chapter, but hey I'm sick of IT so I procrastinated by editting this chapter and writing another one :')
> 
> Also I have no idea what I'm doing for my coding because I originally planned for four pages but my dumb tryhard self ended up with... ~~12?~~ a lot more than expected. So I'm gonna go cry now, if I don't update on Sunday, then I'm busy making churros for my mum and binge coding.
> 
> My notes are all over the place today, but this chapter was much longer than it originally was because haha, missing scenes and details that my dummy idiot self forgot when I was doing my physics report. It went from 800 words to 1100 or so words.
> 
> `[Edit 1]`  
> Please don't expect a response to your comments until next week. I'll be reading them, but urgh IT.
> 
> `[Edit 2]`  
> I keep editting this stupid chapter because there's so much I want to tell you guys.
> 
> First of all, _what the hell?!_ You guys are literally **amazing.**
> 
> It's a genuine pleasure for me to provide you guys with my trashy fanfic in this time, and I'm so damn humbled by the feedback you guys give me, your comments, kudos, bookmarks and hits all mean so much to me, and _damn_ you guys make me blush everytime i see the numbers everytime I go on this site (.❛ ᴗ ❛.)
> 
> _Thank you guys so much <3 <3 <3 _


	8. Force

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> **force**  
>  /fɔːs/
> 
> `PHYSICS`  
>  _the push or pull on an object with mass that causes it to change velocity (to accelerate), represented as a vector, meaning it has both magnitude and direction._

“Honestly, I’m surprised that these things even made it through your trip to the past, boss.” Pakkun sighs as he takes in Kakashi’s new appearance.

Neither did Kakashi, but really it’s all thanks to his student. The only good that came from his actions was his student succeeding him, but even then he probably would have succeeded faster if the boy had a better sensei.

“I’m just grateful Naruto’s mastered fuuinjutsu.” He smiles as he slides his mask in place.

“So what do we call you now boss?”

“Sukea.” His smile curves a little at the memory of the man with purple markings.

“The photographer?” Kakashi nods.

“Okay, what’s next?”

Kakashi grins. “We run.”

They’re both on edge. Where Obito is skittish and flinches at the slightest breeze in hopes to catch his younger teammate, Minato is calm and collected, senses sharp and waiting for a certain seal to appear, ready to catch his missing student off-guard.

Yet it’s them that get caught off guard, as a burst of smoke was the only warning they got before a figure appeared from thin air.

“Reverse Summoning Jutsu!” The figure cries before making a mad dash from them before they’ve comprehended what happened.

It’s Obito who manages to get a grip, but it’s Minato who moves first, chucking his kunai to where the boy disappeared off to when he’s unable to sense his marker on Kakashi.

“Bakashi!” Obito yells, before racing off to catch up with his sensei, and more importantly, his idiot teammate. “Where the hell are you going huh?!”

There’s no remark made. No snarky reply of his inadequacy to even compete in this race. There’s just silence in the forest, only disturbed by his running. He jumps to the trees before finally catching the weird chakra in the figure- almost like he’s going to…

“He’s going to-!”

A puff of smoke, and the barest glimpse of the boy’s face- an animal mask?! Well, he’s gone either way.

“-shunshin…” He deflates.

Minato appears before him, face covered by his bangs in a grim shadow, but below, his lips are creased in confusion and apprehension.

“He shunshinned.” Minato says. “But I couldn’t get him.”

Obito nods slowly, unsure of where his sensei is going with this.

“He ran faster than me.” He deadpans in disbelief. “He ran before I could teleport. Before I could break through space and time.”

Obito swallows the lumps of anxiety that forms in his throat, dread is all he tastes. “What are we gonna do sensei?”

Minato breathes through his teeth, air tense and face grim. “We report Hatake Kakashi missing.”

“... missing?”

He manages to shunshin as far away as possible as fast as he can using the sanbi’s chakra.

(Thank you Isobu-kun.)

...

_Anytime shinobi-san._

He doesn’t bother correcting his guest because he himself doesn’t know which name to go by now.

Kakashi was a ghost of a man. Rokudaime Hokage in a time that isn’t now. Best friend to a corrupt, but reformed Obito he had let down one last time, in both promises and life. Teacher to the next Three Legendary Sannins, and an old man who lived to tell the tale of several wars and countless battles between gods.

Kakashi is a ghost of a child. Son of Sakumo Hatake, lost to the poisoned whispers of **the village** before succumbing to his own guilt. Kakashi Hatake, boy who lost himself to the rules in hopes of purifying the Hatake name and clearing his father of crimes he didn’t commit. A boy so caught up in his grief that he lost **his precious people** because of the rules.

Kakashi is a ghost, and ghosts shouldn’t walk with the living.

Sukea… is a photographer. A photographer with no real background or family or anything. A photographer whose existence only exists in a realm that isn’t here.

For now, he is Sukea.

 _Kakashi… shinobi-san, your monologues are very long…_ Isobu comments, and Kakashi winces at this.

Sorry.

Isobu shakes his head. _Humans are so interesting._ He corrects. _I’m glad that you’re my host shinobi-san._

Ah, now that he thinks about it, he’s glad too. Perhaps, being a missing nin, away from his… **family** wouldn’t be that difficult.

 _I’m glad then, shinobi-san._ Isobu’s emotions are warm, and they’re enough for Kakashi to last through the night without a fire. _I look forward to our journey then._

Yes, he has a lot to fix in this world. Maybe his efforts will be in vain, maybe he’ll change it for the worst. But if he has the chance to remedy his mistakes then, what’s the harm in trying?

After all this is for **his family. His pack. His… Konoha.**

He risks a glance back to **his home** , and continues his journey.

He’ll be back anyway. And he’ll welcome Naruto into a world that loves him.

And then, only then, will he rejoice, and be completely satisfied.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A terrible chapter, I know. I'll admit, I was hella anxious to post this chapter because I genuinely hate it so much because it's so damn rushed because I hate fight scenes, let alone chasing scenes... it's terrible, I know. It's currently 12:45am (17/5/20) in Australia and if my mum catches me awake again tonight I'm gonna die haha so I'll fix this chapter up later.
> 
> In the meantime... thank you. I actually forgot I had this fic, and I just kept procrastinating because I hate this chapter (and one other chapter later on) so uh.. yeah that's why it's a whole week late. The only reason why I actually forced myself to... review this chapter tonight was because of your supportive comments, and I just knew I couldn't let you guys down... even though I hate this chapter with a passion.
> 
> Please let me know in the comments if there's anything I should edit out/in, because ever since I actually started watching clips of Kakashi Gaiden, I became self-conscious of this fic because I realise I deviate a lot and uh, I'm dumb and this story is dumb and actually does not sound like canon at all. So uh, please, go off please.
> 
> Thank you again for all the comments and kudos and bookmarks and hits!!! They really mean so much to me and... yeah it's the reason this chapter's even up in the first place lol. <3 And I apologise again, for such an underwhelming chapter. I'll post another one later when I wake up... maybe.


	9. Kinematics

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> **kinematics**  
>  /ˌkɪnɪˈmatɪks,ˌkʌɪnɪˈmatɪks/
> 
> `PHYSICS`   
>  _the branch of mechanics concerned with the motion of objects without reference to the forces which cause the motion._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *:･ﾟ✧ _𝓣𝓲𝓶𝓮𝓼𝓴𝓲𝓹_ ✧˖°:*

Several search missions were appointed once Minato had been honoured to Hokage. Team 7, or what was left of it was stronger than ever, their drift with the youngest only tightening the bond between the three. Rin, the most medically knowledgeable kunoichi possibly second to Tsunade-hime, has made her mark in the shinobi world.

Obito on the other hand, has made a _dent._ Frustrated with the apparent loss of his rival ~~and best friend~~ , he trained harder than ever, eventually training to the point of passing out on more than a few occasions. Rin had lots to say on that, but Minato had offered Obito salvation.

“Obito, join the Anbu.” Minato says. “Serve directly under my command.”

It is then that Konoha’s Hound is born.

Yet, why do rumours of a Shinobi Hound exist? Who is this shinobi impersonating Minato’s own operative?

Minato sends Hound himself to investigate.

Well this is awkward, he thinks as he meets the Anbu who has taken his face from his past life. However, this Anbu- this _Hound_ does not wear the sleeveless shirt we wore underneath that conjoined with his mask. He did not carry his father’s tanto, nor did he have his spiky silver hair.

It was _black._ Only one person could replace him in this life.

It’s _Obito._ He deduces. Obito’s _found_ him _(and wants to take him **back home).**_

He has to calm down. He isn’t Kakashi, not yet, maybe never again.

He’s Sukea, a shinobi who roams the land with no links to any of the villages. Not a missing nin and _certainly_ not a criminal.

No. Sukea is innocent and shouldn’t worry about what this Anbu wants with him.

“Who are you?”

Oh kami, he can’t face Obito yet. Especially so soon after his desertion. It hasn’t even been a year yet! It’s official, kami’s cursed him in all worlds.

 _Kakashi-kun, you look suspicious if you don’t answer soon._ Isobu points out, and Kakashi’s grateful to have such a thoughtful partner in crime- no not crime. He’s not a criminal.

“I’m no one in particular.” He says, and it takes him back to days of bell tests and duck butts. “Just a random shinobi making due in this life.”

He can feel Obi- _Hound-_ the _real_ Hound’s eyes narrow behind the mask.

“What’s under the mask then, _shinobi-san?”_ Wow, how did his voice get so deep so quickly? Oh how unfair life was.

“A face.” He deadpans.

“Prove it.”

There’s a moment of tense silence before Kaka- Sukea fucks it up.

“Prove that I have a face?” His mirth is evident and he doesn’t bother hiding his amusement.

More silence and the pressure increases- oh nevermind, it’s just Obito and his Killing Intent.

“Shinobi-san, that mask will have to come off.”

“But it was a present from my sensei!” He huffs, and adopts Sukea’s shitty persona with ease.

He feels Hound’s eyes soften, and suddenly he’s not so tense anymore.

“Take it off, and I won’t take it from you.”

 _It’s as good a deal as any._ Isobu shrugs- how does a turtle shrug?

“But it’s meant to be my big secret! You know, like those vigilantes in the books-” Oh he’s losing Hound’s patience. “Okay okay Anbu-san! I’ll take my mask off!”

He feels self-conscious as he feels eyes on him, everyone in the pub was shameless enough to stare at Sukea’s masked face to bear witness to history. Hound vs Hound, Anbu vs Shinobi. Who was to win? Well, Anbu obviously, but Anbu unmasking their shinobi counterpart?

This was a historical event taking place.

“C-can we do this somewhere more… private.” Sukea sweat drops. “Everyone’s staring…”

“Shame.” Hound deadpans, and wow, Obito is definitely not shinobi worthy if he was just gonna be an open book about his frustrations.

Sukea breathes a frustrated sigh and maneuvers his mask off in a way that only lets the man in front see him bare face (oh kami his face is naked).

There’s a tense moment of silence, yet again.

“You’re quite young.”

“I know.”

“How old are you?”

“Quite young.” He slips his mask back on. “Can I keep my mask Anbu-san?”

“One more question.” Hound insists (orders). “The bingo books call you Shinobi, but they also call you Rokuhi because of the embroidery on your jacket.” He explains. “What is your name?”

“Sukea.”

The world spins, and the next thing he knows, he’s paralysed stiff and swung over Hound’s shoulder.

“You think I’m so dumb.” Hound- no, this is Obito talking to him. “But Bakashi, I’m not one to forget runaways in a forest wearing a _shinobi_ hitaite.”

Right. He’s slipped. Wait, that means-

“Ah! Scandalous!” He shrieks. “You’ve seen my face! And now you’re kidnapping me?!”

He thrashes in Obito’s hold, if he can’t move his limbs, then he’ll move his torso.

“Pervert! This is a child kidnapping-!!!”

Getting saved by… wait what the..?!

_Orochimaru?_

Holy shit he’d rather Obito than this.

“Fuckfuckfuckfuckfuck-”

_Lights out._

Shut up Isobu.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well that wraps up the first arc of this fanfic. Initially I was gonna end it here and make the other 8 chapters a sequel, but you know what? Screw that!!! We're going all out baby!!!!!!!
> 
> I enjoyed writing this chapter and reviewing it, so I'm pretty happy with posting it. It's in one of the next few chapters that I start to doubt myself and this story's progression, so I would probably end up leaving for another week or so before I actually come back lol.
> 
> Thank you so much you guys!!!! Your generous support are forever cherished and honestly I don't think I'd have made it this far (in regards to posting) if it weren't for your kind words <3 <3


	10. v = u + at

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> `Kinematics formula part 1`

Being sent out to identify who his imposter was was a mission he didn’t think he’d have to do in Anbu. Reading the Bingo Book to find details on possible whereabouts of said impostor was an ordeal itself.

_‘A-rank, specialises in kenjutsu (tanto). No known name, often referred to as ‘Shinobi-san’, ‘Hound’ or ‘Rokuhi’._

_Small but incredibly agile. Fights with a blade (tanto). No known use of ninjutsu except for Water Style (incredibly rare). Loner but able to hold his own against large groups. Specialises in sensing and spying._

_Has light blue hair and wears a hound mask with red markings. Wears a flak jacket with a similar design to Konohagakure’s jounin flak jackets. Jacket is embroidered with “Six Fire”, but his hitaite says “Shinobi”._

_Often found in places with a large crowd, usually farther away from the Fire Village. Suggests that his previous loyaltie-’_

An animal mask and a ‘shinobi’ hitaite? That’s Kakashi. And Minato-sensei knew it too, especially from the knowing glint in his eyes as he appointed him the mission.

“Find him.” He says. “Find out who is.”

 _And bring him home._ Remains unsaid.

He’ll do just that.

That is, he’ll have to visit Rin first.

“Hey,” He greets, and she echoes it back in the midst of her work- paperwork, something both her and their sensei share, “do you want me to say anything when I find Kakashi?”

“Yeah can you pick up some egg-” She halts. “Kakashi?!”

Obito breaks into a grin, snarky but Rin knows him well enough to know his intentions. “Yeah, I’m bringing the bastard back home.”

“Beat him up for me yeah? Make him realise how much pain he caused for us all.”

He nods before securing his Hound mask on. “Will do Rin-chan!” And he’s out the window.

“And make sure you finally confess your feelings yeah?!” A devilish grin makes it on her face.

On the road, or well, trees, he ponders about the few months following his rival’s apparent desertion.

He had trained recklessly, and was eventually scouted into Minato’s Anbu ops, a choice that was no doubt difficult for his sensei to accept, but one that secured Obito’s mentality. Rin had objected, but once she saw Obito coming home with only light scratches instead of bloody bruises, she understood.

Minato sends Hound on recon and intel missions, trusting his student with the highest secrets, and allowing him to advance his Sharingan by putting him in missions of stealth and information. Though he has yet to fully unlock his three tomoe’s, his uses with it are far and wide. Especially in intel missions.

So, when he finds this mysterious shinobi lurking in a pub with an Icha Icha Paradise 4 in hand. (When did Jiraiya publish the other sequels?)

He sits himself down in front of his missing teammate, and wow this is awkward.

It’s the Hound Showdown. Which Hound will stand down first? Anbu Hound, secretly hailed from the Fire Village Hidden in the Leaves? Or will it be the wandering traveller who serviced the nations with his A-rank abilities?

“Who are you?” And so his interrogation begins.

He takes in Kakashi’s bare face because _damn,_ this is a privilege he’s certain no one else gets. So he activates his sharingan behind his mask and memorises every detail in Kakashi’s childishly round face. It almost throws him off guard by how drastic Kakashi has changed; from his immature persona as Sukea, to the perverted book in his hand, and finally the maturity of the boy’s voice.

But it’s the sadness and guilt in his eyes as he slowly met Obito’s masked stare with cheek. It’s the heavy emotions that remain hidden to the unknowing eye that sells it to Obito, because Obito is his _teammate_ whether they deny it or not, and he knows how Bakashi feels.

“You’re quite young.” He comments, because it always escapes him that Kakashi is a few years his junior. “How old are you?”

“Quite young.” Damn Kakashi and his ability to side step questions. Whatever, this wasn’t what he was here for.

“The bingo books call you Shinobi, but they also call you Rokuhi because of the embroidery on your jacket.” He treads slowly, eyeing the (still bare faced) missing nin for any signs of escape. “What is your name?”

“Sukea.”

That’s it. He may have tolerated Kakashi’s shit in their childhood. But no more! Obito is not an idiot and Kakashi’s coming home now!

With the grace of an Anbu and the speed of Konoha’s Yellow Flash, he easily swings Kakashi onto his shoulder, a paralysis seal placed onto the back of his cargo.

“Stupid Bakashi.” He says under his breath. “You think I’m so dumb. But Bakashi, I’m not one to forget runaways in a forest wearing a _shinobi_ hitaite.”

_Especially when my sharingan was activated idiot._

With no commentary from his teammate, other than Kaka- oh sorry, _Sukea’s_ initial squawk, he easily slips into the shadows and journeys through the lands the boy on his shoulder had so desperately run from.

_**Home.** _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm updating this a day after the last chapter (19/05) because it's basically the same thing just in a different perspective. The next chapter should also be in Obito's POV too (I think), so :)
> 
> Also, I think I might readjust my update schedule because it's been a week since school's started and suddenly I have a maths test to study for and 3 diploma booklets to finish by... next week?? So uh, I plan to update at least once every 2-5 days, depending on my work load and my motivation.
> 
> Thank you guys so much for your generous support!!! I look forward to your lovely comments and reviews, they're what fuels me to continue this fic <3


	11. v^2 = u^2 + 2ax

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> `Kinematics formula part 2`

Hound- the real one- decides to stop and make camp as soon as he realises the boy over his shoulder is limp and dozed off. What a brat.

He sets the boy down on the ground, lightly enough to not jostle him awake but rough enough to satisfy himself. He checks the paralysis seal and is pleased to see it still hold up well. He summons a shadow clone to scout around their camp, and another to remain in the trees.

He sits down next to Kakashi’s slumped form. “You know, I never did break our promise.”

He remembers it like it was yesterday. It was a normal day in Konoha, shinobi were sent out and others came home battered, bruised and bleeding with smiles as they reunited with their families.

It’s a normal day in Konoha, bathed by the sun and blessed by the winds, and Obito strolls with ease around town, trying to find his teammate clothed in darkness but blessed with the light of silver.

 _“What’s up Bakashi?”_ He greets with a feral grin. _“You here to admit that I’m going to be hokage?”_

Kakashi avoids his eyes, and instead leads them out of the shadows of a tree and into the cover of the forest.

_“I need you to promise me something Obito.”_

He listens seriously, because Kakashi’s voice is hard and devoid of its usual banter. It’s stressed, worried and anxious, something that’s very unlike the confident prodigy of Konoha.

 _“What is it Bakashi?”_ He leans in, because Kakashi’s eyes wander around the woods around them, paranoid.

 _“Obito,”_ Kakashi starts off with a heavy breath, shaky under the weight of a burden, _“promise me that you’ll protect Rin.”_

Obito furrows his eyebrows, because that’s a given. He’ll protect Rin and all his comrades, assholes be damned.

_“Pfft, obviously baka-”_

_“Protect her happiness.”_ Kakashi continues as if Obito had never spoken in the first place. _“Protect Minato-sensei, Kushina-nee, the village.”_ He continues in a flurry, as if they’ll disappear if he didn’t speak of them.

 _“Don’t leave the village.”_ He concludes. _“Promise me that you’ll stay in the village and protect everyone-!”_

Obito’s had enough. He’s confused, worried and kinda anxious with how Kakashi’s behaving. He grips Kakashi’s shoulders with enough force to hopefully make it through his teammate’s head and get his grip back on reality.

_“Bakashi! What-”_

_“Obito! Promise me!”_

Of course, in the end he promised Kakashi, because he was going to do all that anyway.

(Also, with how desperate Kakashi pleaded, he couldn’t not promise the boy’s wishes. What sort of hokage would he be if he didn’t bother keeping the promises of his comrade?)

Under the cover of their past, Obito sees Kakashi, genius genin under Minato-sensei’s tutelage, prodigy chuunin along with his teammates under Minato-sensei’s guidance, and finally model jounin leading his comrades out of harm’s way.

Even under cover of the stars, Obito can see the scars of the past etched onto the younger boy’s face. Under the light of the moon that peaks between their cover of leaves, Obito sees Kakashi, who’s hair glows silver instead of the washed out blue of Sukea.

Under the light of the night, he sees his teammate, pained with a burden greater than he knows, and vows to keep his promises close, and his friends closer.

And so, it’s embarrassing for him to admit that he yelped when Kakashi’s figure glowed a muddy red. He watches as the paralysis seal bursts into red bubbles. He prepares his sword, ready to strike at the unknown chakra that’s been haunting him since the night of the boy’s runaway.

“Hey Bakashi what the hell-?!”

 _“Shut up Tobi.”_ He hears Kakashi snarl- _snarl?_ What the fuck? _“I’ve had enough of your bullshit.”_

“Woah Kakashi it’s me!” He waves his arm around. “Your teammate! You know? The one you left back **home?** ”

Kakashi roars, and so does Obito’s heart. Oh god this foreign chakra was consuming him. The dense chakra bubbles around Kakashi’s small form- _so small and once again he forgot just how young they all were in this war torn world._

 _“I can’t **go back!”**_ Kakashi growls, and is that a tail?! How does he have enough chakra to shape it into a whole tail? He glances at Kakashi’s arm, the one that’s covered with intricate seals, and instead, he sees patterns akin to that of a turtle’s shell. _“You can’t make me **go back!”**_

The chills shiver violently down his back, and he quickly sends a regular clone to relay his troubles and request backup.

“Bakashi! Get it through your thickhead!” He grounds and widens his stance as Kakashi gets on all-fours, his body is consumed in the red chakra that’s so dense it must be suffocating. “Everyone **back home** misses you!” He cries.

“We want you **back home!** We **miss you!** ” And then he prepares his jutsu. “And you’re **coming back** whether you like it or not.”

Kakashi growls.

Until there was nothing in the forest other than Obito, his sword, and Kakashi’s imitation of his mask.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And now I disappear.
> 
> ~~I just remembered that I should stop lurking in my own comments section and actually respond to your lovely comments~~
> 
> Anyways life update!! My grade's finally starting to plan our formal (prom) so haha that's interesting. I've been forced into doing the calligraphy with no pay so that will be interesting. The theme is emerald green and gold but my class and the other class keep fighting because my class actually came up with ideas but the other class shat on our ideas without even explaining theirs so I kinda raged war today against them on Whatsapp because they're dumb and we're all petty teenagers.
> 
> Also, all my subjects are currently preparing for the final exam (except math and english), so it's been peaceful, kinda like the calm before the storm. Chemistry we're doing organic chem and I'm kinda enjoying it... physics on the other hand is quantum mechanics or something... IT is fun!! We're encrypting and decrypting secret messages like spies!! *jazz hands*
> 
> Anyways, I hope you all are safe and mentally sound at home, and that you all haven't gone off the deep end and cut bangs like half of my friends did... though I admit I did too, however I am an expert at cutting my own hair so I don't count :). I'll see you all next week (maybe) with the next chapter, bye and thank you for your continuous support!!! <3 <3 <3


	12. s = ut + 1/2*at^2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> `Kinematics formula part 3`

Waking up in the midst of his broad mindscape was not how Kakashi imagined himself when the eventual confrontation against Obito happened.

He groans in pain. “Urgh, what happened?”

 _“I took over.”_ Isobu fills in. _“I may have gone overboard and caused you to experience bad memories.”_

He massages his temples. “It’s fine. As long as you know your limits then I’m fine with you taking over.” He ponders. “Wait, no you have to warn me if you want control on my body.”

 _“I was trying to extinguish the paralysis seals.”_ Isobu explains. _“I hate paralysis.”_

Which, fair, the poor beasts do have some rather unfortunate experiences with paralysis, seals and generally anything that rendered them powerless.

“Well thank you Isobu-kun. I appreciate your work.” Kakashi smiles patiently, because this bijuu is young, younger than the Kyuubi- Kurama. “Now, what happened when I was out?”

 _“I accidentally released one tail.”_ Isobu withers under Kakashi’s unamused shock. _“Hound was going to fight you with his sword.”_

“What happened then?”

 _“Well, er,”_ Isobu considers his words, _“we got saved?”_

“Saved?” Kakashi doesn’t remember any other allies made during his trek around the nations. Sure he saved a few children, shinobi and missing nins alike during his missions, but none were great enough to regard him as an ally or anything higher than acquaintance. “By who?”

 _“Some human with long hair.”_ Isobu thinks deeper. _“There’s a suppressing seal so I can’t exactly use my chakra without hurting you and your stupid baby chakra coils.”_

Long hair, able to seal chakra… Minato-sensei? Or could it be Jiraiya-sama? Possibly Tsunade-hime? Kushina-nee?

“Did you see what colour hair it was?” Kakashi hopes that it’s Jiraiya, because he’s isolated himself from the village long enough to not recognise Kakashi but still reigns as a seal master.

 _“Hmm. It could be that because it’s dark, but from what I remember,”_ Isobu ponders deeper, and Kakashi holds his breath.

_“I think it was black.”_

Kakashi passes out in his mindscape and wakes up to reality.

“Ah, the jinchuuriki’s awake.”

Oh kami what the _fuck?_

“I keep losing my test subjects to this curse.” He hears Orochimaru complain. “But I wonder if it’s dependent on the host’s genetics or thirst for power.”

He’s frozen stiff as he feels Orochimaru’s breath too close to his own.

“But perhaps jinchuuriki could withstand death by this curse.”

Too late does he realise just what the Snake Sannin was going to do.

All that follows is a piercing scream that echoes through and through.

Tears pour out and he can’t find it in himself to stop the flow. There’s so much pain, the world is a bright explosion of pain and everywhere on Kakashi’s everything is the seer of white-hot pain. His neck throbs painfully with a dull, but painfully numb ache.

“He’s stable.” He hears, but it’s incoherent. “He’s conscious.”

“Interesting.” His ears pick up, but he can’t focus because the pain is just too much and he’s about to pass out again but he’s caught back to the painful reality when his world becomes numb.

“Boy.” He forces his eyes to focus on yellow slits in front of him. “What is your name?”

Deliriously high on pain and tongue numb from the ordeal, his answer comes out incoherent.

“Shukeyyye.” It’s hard to focus his tongue when all he wants to do is sleep the night away and wake up healed and well rested. “Shhhssshhsssukeeeea.”

“Sukea.” He nods- not really, he just juts his head up and lets it roll back down. “Which village are you from?”

He doesn’t trust his mouth anymore and instead points to the metal plate carved with the Allied Shinobi Forces insignia on it. “Shhhhhhinooobiiii.”

“Yes, you are a shinobi.” The voice deadpans. “But where is **your home?”**

 **“Konoha.”** The seal, the damn seal slipped the answer by his delirious state of mind, and he inwardly curses himself. **“I want to go home.”**

He hears brief shuffling before there’s something cool on his wrists. He melts at the coolness of it and almost curls around it to soothe the hot pain alight his body.

“Let’s try this again shall we?” His mind is muddled and he can’t focus that well. All he can do to keep conscious is to stare at the blurry figure in front of him.

“What is your name?”

He passes out.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ok so I just wanted to get this chapter out of the way because I hate it, but I hate the next ones more. Also!!! It is currently 10:22pm (25/05) in Aussie right now and I gotta get to bed before I get my ass beat so I'll drop by sometime in the morning to delurk and respond to your wholesome comments ^^
> 
> ~~I'll also add more to the notes once I'm sober.~~
> 
> ~~I'll be honest and say I don't know what the _fuck_ I was doing and why I forced a cursed seal on Kakashi, but you know what, whump baby! Honestly I hate the way this story's progressing but hell if I know what's going on anymore.~~


	13. s = 1/2(v + u)t

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> `Kinematics formula part 4`

He wakes up and blinks the pain away.

Okay! First things first, he needs to gather intel on what the fuck just happened.

Isobu, any ideas?

_Orochimaru._

Right.

He got captured by the Snake Sannin, who tested out his cursed seal on him. He reaches for his neck but the heavy weight of the restraints keep him down.

So, he got captured by Orochimaru, and has a cursed seal, on top of a chakra suppression seal, meaning he has no access to Isobu’s chakra and now depends on either his own chakra, or Orochimaru’s seal.

He needs to escape.

He glances at his left arm where he had inked a few seals on, such as a storage seal and a summoning seal. Fortunately his storage seal remains intact, and he breathes a sigh at the treasure he calls his beloved _Icha Icha Series._

 _You disgust me._ Isobu gags. _Aren’t you still a baby?_

What. No, he’s physically 10? 12? He doesn’t remember, but mentally he’s old and crippled.

 _Stop lying Hatake_. Isobu scolds mirthfully. _You act like you haven’t told me stories of your prime in the future when we were on the road together._

Right. That’s true. Either way he got sidetracked.

He feels the hard jagged rocks behind him, and so manages to scrape his fingers enough to bleed. With practiced precision and ease, he scribbles down the summoning seal.

“Summoning Jutsu!” A burst of cloud is all that warns him before he sees his beloved ninken.

“Boss!”

The plan is simple really.

That was a lie. He had no plan, only Pakkun and a shadow clone. He stationed Pakkun near the entrance of his cell while his shadow clone draws a kunai out of his pouch and frees him from his metal bindings (with some chakra of course).

Unfortunately the bindings were sealed in a way that informs the user of its state.

His shadow clone disappears into a cloud of smoke, and he bolts with Pakkun in his arms. He’s high on adrenaline and his legs run and run and run and they won’t stop until Pakkun forces him to stop when his chakra dwindles dangerously low.

“Pup, you need to know your limits.” Pakkun scolds.

“I know my limits Pakkun.” He reassures. “I just forget.”

“Then you better be grateful I’m here to remind you brat.”

He laughs because despite everything this life has thrown at him, he still has his friend, his closest companion through it all. He collapses to the ground and his laughs heaves like waves.

“Thank you Pakkun.” He smiles. “For always being there for me.”

Flustered, Pakkun simply disappeared in a cloud.

He rests but reminds himself that he needs to gain some distance between Orochimaru.

That is, until a thought popped into his head.

Why not face him head on? It’ll remove several tragedies from this timeline.

_(But then he remembers the fond look both father and son share, and he remembers Mitsuki and the warm feelings he gets when the boy speaks so nobly of his father.)_

He has a new mission; master the Talk-no-jutsu and pull a Naruto.

Breaking back into the place he was abducted in and consecutively assaulted was one of the stupidest things he’s ever done in his lives. So when he’s met face to face (oh shit he’s maskless) with his assailant, the surprise and confusion that blooms in the Snake Sannin’s face was all he needed to realise that _this was a bad idea._

“You wanted to know my name.” He says in a levelled voice. “Lord Orochimaru.”

“Yes.” Orochimaru confirms. “But I had assumed you were… disjointed.”

“Yeah, I’d assume that’s what happens when such a cursed seal is applied.” He retorts. “Which, by the way, fuck you.”

Orochimaru reeled in shock, and honestly had Kakashi quivering now.

“Look, as much as I hate you for giving me a cursed seal, we’re gonna have to cooperate for a bit.” He grits his teeth.

“So listen well, my name was Hatake Kakashi, but on the road I go by Sukea, Hound or Rokuhi.” He breathes heavily and his heart pounds wildly as he waits for the sannin’s response to the cards he lay down.

“Hatake Kakashi… student of the Fourth?” Orochimaru recovers from his stupor. “I had assumed the last Hatake wore a mask.”

“Believe what you want Snake.” He hisses- oh kami _what._ “But whether you like it or not, I was Kakashi. But I am Sukea.”

He bows. “And I will be in your care Lord Orochimaru.” He has to stop himself from physically repulsing at the name.

Silence is all there is as Kakashi remains bowed.

“My what an interesting turn of events.” He hears. “To think that the last Hatake is the jinchuuriki of the sanbi?” He laughs humorlessly. “Now pray tell me child, why I should take you in my care when all you’ve been is nothing but disrespect?”

Kakashi winces. “Because I can feel Lord Fourth’s chakra coming closer to us.” He bows again, “Please release my chakra suppressant seals, Lord Orochimaru. So that I can fight.” _So that I can run._

Silence, and then.

“No.” And all he felt was the burning pain of the cursed seal forcefully drawing his chakra out.

He screams, and Minato runs _faster._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ok!!! So!!! I have a math test on wednesday that I barely started revising for and I'm stuck on the first chapter... on the other hand I'm actually enjoying chemistry quite a lot, organic chemistry. We probably haven't started the hard stuff yet, I mean we're still naming isomers rn so I'm cruising by for now.
> 
> I lied in my last notes. I didn't end up adding more to my notes because haha I'm lazy, but aren't we all?
> 
> I was planning on heavily editing this chapter because like, ???? but then you know what I realised? I'm lazy and I've lost the will to care anymore, so I'd rather get this chapter out of the way instead of heavily editing the rest of the story because of something I changed.
> 
> And now, that chapter!!! Kakashi tried to pull a Naruto, but Orochimaru said fuck Talk-no-jutsu rights and frickin activated the seal. Now that Kakashi has a cursed seal, a jinchuuriki seal and the seal that draws him to home, you'd wonder just how Kakashi's coping right now.
> 
> Not well. Not at all. I presume that when I was writing this that Kakashi's actually paralysed at this point, and so that's why the chapter ends with Minato's presence instead of Kakashi drifting off to his mindscape.
> 
> You all keep asking if Orochimaru's a nukenin yet or not, but honestly I don't know man. By the end of this yes, but as of now, it's up to your interpretation I guess. I had written this with the knowledge of him being a nukenin, but it turns out I was wrong; he became nukenin a few months after Naruto's birth/during Kakashi's in depth Anbu days. Therefore he's not meant to be nukenin yet, but fuck the timeline, we wilding kiddies.
> 
> Also, the next chapter is an interlude because it was actually meant to be posted before the kinematic series, but like the title and story didn't flow as well, so I'm posting it after the kinematic series. Surprise!! The kinematic aspect of this rat is finished :)
> 
> Also??? 4 chapters left????????? I'm in shock!!! And you all are so damn generous with your support I'm actually melting. Which is something because I'm frozen rn in Australia and it's not even winter yet... Thank you all so much!!! Your kudos, hits, comments, bookmarks and everything mean the world to me! <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3


	14. Interlude

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> _A missing scene._

“Yo.”

The sanbi in front of him deadpans. Quite a tame reaction, but Kakashi knows little of what is to come.

The sanbi merely growls, or whatever it is turtles do.

“So…” Awkward, and he knows he can do better, “what’s up?”

 _“Release me human!”_ It- he growls. _“Impudent mortals! How dare they seal me into such a weak runt.”_

Irked and kinda embarrassed- no, ashamed that a giant turtle is mouthing him off, he huffs.

“You say I’m weak, but how did you even manage to let yourself be sealed into,” he gestures to himself, “someone ‘weak’.”

Sanbi growls yet again, and Kakashi realises that antagonising the sanbi isn’t the way to an alliance.

“Hey, sanbi-san.” He calls again. “If you think I’m so weak, why don’t you help me become stronger then?”

Sanbi scoffs, _“And let such a great being get used by the likes of a child?” Sanbi sneers._

“You underestimate my power sanbi-san.” Kakashi warns.

 _“Pah! It’s not like you’ll ever amount to anything.”_ Sanbi taunts. _“We were both used in this plan…”_

“I see.” He walks up to the turtle weary under the weight of the clamps that weigh it down. Sanbi merely stares him down, baring his teeth- or well, the turtle equivalent of it.

“Do you want these off?” He asks, resting his hand on one of the clamps securing the bijuu in place. “They look uncomfortable.”

Sanbi says nothing, and even though his silence doesn’t voice his discomfort, Kakashi proceeds to make a running start at the giant clamp, only to hobble away with a numb fist and sore knuckles. He hisses in pain while the sanbi roars in laughter despite the restraints.

 _“Kid,”_ Sanbi’s laughter reduces to an amused glint in his eyes, _“this is the mindscape.”_

Right. He should’ve thought of that.

He walks back to the clamp, nursing his bruised fist- oh, it’s healed- and places a hand atop the restraint again, willing its disappearance. He stares at the clamp with hard determination, staring and staring as if the glare of his stare could decimate the restraint with a single look.

He sighs in frustration and kicks his annoyance onto the clamp, causing it to disappear.

What-? No, he’s not gonna question how the hell his mindscape works. It’s probably fucked up with all sorts of trauma.

He proceeds to kick most of the restraints out of existence, and reaches the last one.

“Sanbi-san.” Kakashi says. “What’s your name?”

There’s stubborn silence that almost has Kakashi doubt his ability to forge an alliance with his guest.

 _“Isobu.”_ The low murmur is all Kakashi needs to be certain of his plan. _“Isobu, the Three Tails Demon Turtle.”_

Kakashi swings his foot back, and smiles.

“Nice to meet you Isobu-kun.” He greets. “I’m Kakashi Hatake, the last Hatake, son of Sakumo Hatake of the White Fang, Copy Nin of Konoha who copied over 1000 jutsus, Kakashi of the Sharingan and Rokudaime Hokage of the future.”

“Pleased to meet your acquaintance, I’ll be in your care Isobu of the Sanbi.”

And he swings forward.

“So, what’re you doing here?” 

_“I was sealed.”_

“Why?” 

_“Because some ninja had a plan that required me to be sealed into a **Konoha** nin. They said that I’ll be set free.”_

“Do you still want to be free?”

_“Yes shinobi-san.”_

“Isobu-kun?” Kakashi calls. “Do you know where the seal is?”

Isobu hums in contemplation, and Kakashi feels his chest bubble with foreign chakra.

 _“It’s on your heart.”_ He explains. _“It’s faulty and will destabilise at any time.”_

Great, just what he needed. Luckily for him, being the teacher of a jinchuuriki and a victim of Orochimaru’s cursed sealing, he’s had a hand at a few stabilising seals himself.

“I see.” He says. “Thank you Isobu-kun.”

The feared sanbi- an endearingly overgrown turtle, brightens.


	15. Light

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> **light**  
>  /lʌɪt/
> 
> `PHYSICS`   
>  _(of an isotope) having not more than the usual mass; (of a compound) containing such an isotope._

Obito manages to slip past the gates in a matter of seconds, and he faces his sensei in his office who has his chin rested on the bridge of his interlaced fingers. His eyes are narrowed in thought but the darkness that lay behind them spark memories of a night under the leaves, waiting for a certain child to come out.

“Your clone just informed me.” He said. “I’ll send for a tracking team to accompany you in this search.”

“There’s no need, hokage-sama.” Obito shakes his. “What Kakashi needs now are people who actually want him home.” He explains.

“Oh, and I also got a souvenir.” He places Kakashi’s hound mask on the hokage table.

Minato breathes. “So instead of a search party, what is it that we should deploy?”

Obito stays silent as he thinks. “Gai.”

Eyebrows shoot up. “Gai? Maito Gai?”

Obito nods. “He can probably talk Bakashi out of his stupid thoughts.” He shrugs. “He’ll probably end up dragging Bakashi back to Konoha for the power of ‘youth’.”

Minato cracks a smile and Obito smiles himself behind his mask.

“Okay so I can get Gai to join your retrieval squad.” Minato nods. “Who else do we need?”

Obito hums in thought. “He had weird dense red chakra come out of him when he was asleep.” Obito says.

“Red?” Minato’s eyebrows are furrowed in confusion. “Kakashi’s chakra is white.”

“Which is exactly why it’s even weirder to see the red chakra form a tail.”

Blue eyes blown wide in shock are all Obito sees and suddenly his sensei is frozen stiff.

A… tail.

“Were there any more tails?” Minato asks, his eyes controlled but his hands grip the other in order to stabilise himself. “Did Kakashi’s features change at all because of this?”

Obito thinks back to the forest, and the weird patchy dark skin alike to a turtle.

“He… his skin turned weird.” He starts. “His arm, the one without his arm guard, had a weird patch that turned… “ Obito struggles for words.

“What did it look like Obito?” Minato asks. “If Kakashi managed to form a tail with foreign chakra, then I need to know which tailed beast is sealed inside him.”

Tailed beast… of _course._ That must be why Kakashi was acting so _feral_ when he was surrounded in that weird dense chakra.

Obito scrambles for words, before sighing.

“Turtle.”

Minato sighs too, heavy and burdened.

“Sanbi.”

They understand now. And he thinks- he knows that Kakashi needs Obito more than Minato needs Hound.

“Get ready, I’ll meet you at the gates.”

Obito disappears in a puff of smoke, the Fourth disappears in a flash.

Obito finds Minato-sensei, Kushina-nee and Rin with grim faces. They walk up and Obito sees Kakashi’s mask sitting on Rin’s pouch. Both Minato-sensei and Kushina-nee are dressed for combat, which is weird to see Kushina in a flak jacket instead of her usual dress.

Minato-sensei nods at him, and he leads the way.

They swiftly make it through the trees, and Minato-sensei briefs them on their travels.

“Since we’re dealing with a possibly unstable jinchuuriki here, I’m gonna need you and Rin to be on standby.” He pointedly explains to his students who have an argument on their tongues. “Rin, you’re gonna need to stay a safe distance away, while Obito, I need you to ensure that the perimeters are safe.” He says.

“No one is to disrupt the sealing process.”

The finality in Minato-sensei’s voice is what gets them to understand the severity of the situation.

“Yes sensei.”

They find the camp he lost Kakashi from. The shadow clone he stationed pops out of existence, and memories from last night come flooding back.

“Orochimaru.” He breathes. “It was Orochimaru who took Kakashi.”

Minato sighs harshly, almost growls even. “Of course it was.”

He knows how heavy the weight of hokage has worn him down, and he feels the frustration roll in waves from his mentor. He nods silently, and begins to search for chakra residue using his sharingan, and leads them to a field where a cave lies in the distance.

He points to the cave. “The weird chakra goes into that cave.”

Minato nods and he stations Rin and Obito on the outskirts of the field, before he and Kushina make their way into the cave.

“Do you think they’ll save him?” Rin asks. “I mean, it’s sensei and stuff. But Kakashi’s been pretty stubborn about not coming back home.”

“It’s sensei.” He says, and that’s enough of a reason to ease Rin’s doubts. “If he managed to break through space and time with his jutsu, then he can just as easily drag Bakashi back home.”

As confident as they were with Minato-sensei’s power, the shrill scream that cut through the tense air only thickens the anxiety in the air.

Minato and Kushina tread carefully into the cave. They know the dangers of an unstable seal, and coupled with a rogue and criminally volatile sannin, they are quite understandably weary.

So when they entered the cave with stifling silence, they couldn’t help but hold their breaths.

And then the scream punctuated the air.

Their eyes meet, and they hurry to save the child.

It hurts. It hurts so bad he can’t- it’s indescribable. The pain, the hot singe of his neck that burns his body alight. It hurts so bad and all he wants to do is pass out, but he can’t because the stupid Snake Sannin is _right there_ and he needs to right the stupid man’s wrong.

He screams and scrambles to fight the man. He leaps and shoots out kunai from his holster. The sannin dodges, but he manages to keep him from escaping.

 _“What did you do?!”_ He snarls because everything hurts and all his brain tells him is _pain, pain, pain. “Release the seal!”_

“No.”

Isobu screams, and Kakashi is no more. Despite the chakra suppressant seal on Kakashi’s body, Isobu forces control through sheer anger.

 _“You insolent fool.”_ Sanbi growls. _“I will end you where you stand imbecile.”_

Kakashi goes on all fours, his face patched with turtle marking as do his arms.

And he leaps, and red is all they see.

Isobu claws at Orochimaru’s form, and when the man manages to get away, he curls up in a ball and _rolls._

Orochimaru gets hit and he stares in fascination at the single solid tail formed from chakra. It was a partial transformation, but with how animalistic the kid became, it would be easy to assume partial possession. He notices the pattern etched on the boy’s skin, and wonders whether it was from the partial transformation or his cursed seal.

 _“Orochimaru.”_ Kakashi drawls. _“Fuck you for ruining Sasuke’s future.”_

And then the single solid tail of the demon turtle curls around the boy’s form, and rolls.

Minato and Kushina make it to the sight. It’s nothing but utter chaos, with documents and lab utensils alike thrown all over the place. They easily locate the jinchuuriki and the sannin, and make their way there in silence, gathering intel on what’s going on.

 _“Why won’t you die you slimy snake!”_ They hear Kakashi growl in frustration.

Nothing could have prepared them for Kakashi’s newest transformation.

A rocky tail slides from his oversized vest, and with how hard it looked, there was enough reason to believe Kakashi was possessed by the demon turtle.

Kakashi leaps and slashes at Orochimaru with his tail, while he slides his tanto out of its sheath. With both sides of Kakashi attacking the sannin, the man has no choice but to defend and retreat from this onslaught of attacks.

In an instant, Kushina unleashes her chains and Minato gets close to Kakashi’s form, a seal ready and prepared.

Kakashi thrashes beneath Kushina’s chains. _“No! Not again! I will not be restrained any more!”_ He growls and the dense red chakra builds up, forming a second chakra tail.

 _“Let me go!”_ He roars, and Kushina has a hard time keeping the possessed boy down.

“Kakashi listen to me!” Kushina says, trying to calm the boy down. “The sanbi has you under its control. You need to get your control back!”

Kakashi only struggles harder. _“No! I will not let myself be fooled once more impudent human!”_ He snarls. _“I know all the truths of this world.”_ He says darkly, and Kushina’s stomach drops. _“I can tell the difference between the dead and the lies of humans.”_

“Minato hurry!”

Minato quickly slips Kakashi’s vest off, along with his shirt. He’s so glad that Kakashi’s ditched his joint mask and undershirt, it made things so much more easier. He now needs to locate the seal, and luckily for him, with how rampant the bijuu is, he was able to find the glowing strokes of it.

It’s on his heart.

“Oh no.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ok so my test is tomorrow and I've spent three (nonconsecutive) days studying. I lied, I only fully started studying today in math class and I 'finished' studying an hour ago. It's currently 10:30pm in Aus (2/6) so I won't be able to answer your comments from the last two chapters, but I've been reading them!!! They got me through my (nonexistent) stresses. Thank you all so much!! <3 <3
> 
> I hope you all are safe!! I forget that we're in a pandemic with how chaotic 2020 is going, so I hope you guys practice safe hygiene and if you're partaking in protests, stay safe!! I know that here in Australia that our protests are genuinely peaceful on both ours and the police's ends, and I hope that it's the same for any protest you guys are going to!
> 
> Anyway, we're finally moving on with the plot :) I'm like halfway done with the second chapter of the sequel, but the sequel probably won't come out until my holidays because I've still got one other assessment left before I'm free for a term (english). Anyway!! Once I come home from the test tomorrow, I'll hopefully have enough energy to respond to all your lovely comments!! If not, then I'll be replying sometime soon ^^
> 
> Stay safe!! I love you all!! <3 <3 <3


	16. Particles

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> **particle**  
>  /ˈpɑːtɪk(ə)l/
> 
> `PHYSICS`   
>  _a minute portion of matter._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> #### Finale

Obito and Rin manage to knock Orochimaru unconscious, which was weird considering that they were on a lower power level than the sannin. Whatever’s happening in the cave must have been too much for the man.

“Do you think Minato-sensei needs help?” Rin fidgets. “I mean, if Kakashi managed to wear a sannin until the point of unconsciousness, would sensei manage by himself?”

“But sensei’s not by himself.” Obito reminds. “He has Kushina-nee with him.”

“Right.” Rin doesn’t seem comforted by this. Neither is Obito honestly.

Which was how they both found themselves watching Kushina restrain a possessed Kakashi down, with an unconscious Orochimaru slung over Obito’s shoulder.

They’re on the sidelines as they watch their sensei search for something on Kakashi’s upper torso. They hear him curse, before their hearts plummet.

“The seal’s on his heart!” They hear their sensei curse. “I can’t do much right now, only stabilise the seal by adding another one.”

“Just do something!” Kushina yells at him with frustration straining her voice. “It’s hard to keep him down ya know?!”

Minato gets his ink and sets to work on Kakashi’s chest. Each stroke is delicate and fine, but with how wildly Kakashi’s thrashing on the floor, Minato finds it increasingly difficult to draw the diagram.

“C’mon Rin.” Obito whispers. “They need us.”

Rin nods, shaky but confident. “Right.”

They step out of the shadows of the lab, leaving Orochimaru’s unconscious form paralysed with a seal in the corner.

“Hey Bakashi!” Obito yells. “What the hell do you think you’re doing?!”

He can’t move. All he sees is white and all he remembers is the feeling of cool ink splayed across his abdomen, with the heart of the strokes being on his chest. He remembers the whispers amongst the shadows and how their weary eyes examine every inch of his body. They probe and prod, and he can’t move because they’ve trapped him in this game of will.

 _You have to **move.**_ He hears something amongst the whispers, and he thinks it’s strange.

 _Move you stupid child!_ And without really thinking about it, he moves.

“Let me go!” He screams, because he remembers pain in his stomach and pain in his heart.

 _“Kakashi…!”_ He can’t make out the words because his chest is on fire even though it’s only ink, and his chakra coils are on fire even though it’s only a seal. _“The sanbi…! …control…!”_

No, he isn’t under the sanbi’s control because he’s still here! He’s still Kakashi! See! He’s still in control! He struggles harder under the chains.

Isobu makes his own complaint, **_“No! I will not let myself be fooled once more impudent human!”_** He snarls on about his tangent about this world and other things Kakashi can’t be bothered to hear about.

_“Minato hurry!”_

Sensei! It’s sensei! A kage and a sealsmaster… and… his sensei.

What was his sensei doing here? He pauses to remember this world.

Minato was alive, and so was Kushina. Rin was also alive, meaning that Obito hasn’t gone off the edge. Yet. He has Isobu- the sanbi, in an unstable seal that was stabilised on the night of his kidnapping, and… 

Orochimaru, fresh nukenin from Konoha. 

Orochimaru, who had placed a seal on two of his students; one seal prevented him from truly accessing kyuubi’s chakra, and another seal that changed the course of his life forever to come.

Orochimaru, who doesn’t have Kabuto by his side, who doesn’t have Anko by his side.

(He has Danzo.)

He has Kakashi.

(He’ll have Mitsuki.)

If Orochimaru can be redeemed in a future where he invaded his village, then surely he can be redeemed before such a thing can happen, if he can help it. But he can’t help the man if he’s cursed like this.

So he tolerates the chill the ink sends down his feverish body, and gives him free reign over the seal.

Isobu growls at his easy withdrawal, and snatches control.

He sees red.

But he hears him.

“Hey Bakashi!”

And suddenly he’s Sasuke and he sees Naruto.

“What the hell do you think you’re doing?!”

And he knows that he’ll finally witness Obito talk-no-jutsu first hand.

Isobu growls in his response, and he laughs inside his head at the thought of his composed student _growling_ so animalistically. That was more of Naruto’s thing anyway, with the kyuubi sealed in him and all.

He sees nothing, but he hears Isobu’s cries, and he knows that the seal is stable and…

He’s going _home._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi, I know I haven't responded to the last... few chapters' comments, but I'll just go ahead and say I haven't the will to respond (yet). I know that I will have to respond before I post the last chapter, so uh... :)
> 
> Also, this is the last chapter of this fanfic. The next one is an epilogue (sort of).
> 
> My A/N is short, and I can't write any longer because I need to pee, but like, I'm up to chapter 6 of the sequel. I'm planning on posting the sequel once I have at least 12, so like, we're almost there lol.
> 
> Anyways, stay safe kiddies, wear a mask, keep your distance, bring a knife wherever you go. And thank you once again for your continuous support <3 <3 <3


	17. Photon

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> **photon**  
>  /ˈfəʊtɒn/
> 
> `PHYSICS`   
>  _a particle representing a quantum of light or other electromagnetic radiation. A photon carries energy proportional to the radiation frequency but has zero rest mass._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> #### Epilogue
> 
> _Through Rin's eyes_

Rin peers down at the rogue ninja that was her crush, but now that she finally sees his face as it is, she thinks it’s more admiration than it was the budding romance she thought it was.

The boy’s round face would usually be so sharp under the mask, and she realises that it was because of his skin tight mask that they couldn’t see the childish fat that rounded his cheeks. His eyes are closed, peaceful yet strained, but oblivious to the world altogether. His mouth opens slightly as air puffs through the open crevice. Her eyes gravitate to the beauty spot that’s marked on the boy’s skin, and thinks of how stupid it is for Kakashi to be so secretive over a _mole._

“He has blue hair.” She says instead, and she realises that this blue really isn’t that different from his natural silver.

“He covered his face for a mole?!” Came the outraged Obito.

“I think it’s more of a periwinkle.” Minato indulges. “Which is… an interesting choice.”

Kushina snorts as her golden chakra chains retract. “Of course you’d know that pretty boy.”

“Are you serious?!” Obito continues raging. “Are you telling me that for all this time we’ve spent wondering whether he was deformed or just plain ugly under that mask, that he wore a mask because he _has a mole?!”_

The way Obito’s voice peaks as he shrills in the cave leaves Rin laughing so hard on the ground. Minato cracks a smile at this and even Kushina manages a laugh herself.

“Well we did tell you that it was nothing dattebane!” She huffs amused. 

Minato strengthens the paralysis seal on Orochimaru and heaves him on his shoulder. He comes back with the man slung over his shoulder, and it makes for quite the hilarious sight when Orochimaru’s black hair haunts the air every time Minato swings around. Almost like a ghost.

“Speaking of masks,” He turns to her, “Rin, do you have any medical masks with you.”

She nods and unrolls a scroll from her apron. She unseals a blue medical mask and hooks the elastics behind Kakashi’s ears.

“It matches.” She giggles.

“Wait! Why does he get to wear a mask again?!”

“Obito calm down.” Minato scolds, because it’s unbecoming of Anbu and Obito needs to know this, whether he’s on duty or not. “The actual reason Kakashi wears a mask is because his sense of smell is heightened. To the point that he passes out because of the sheer number of scents in the village, and it overwhelms him.”

“Like an Inuzuka?” Rin offers.

Kushina nods. “Yep! And then add to the fact that Kakashi’s summons are dogs, what sort of picture do you get?”

“He’s an Inuzuka?” Obito scratches his head.

“He’s Hatake.” Rin corrects and Obito blushes. “Right.”

“Kushina stop teasing them.” Minato scolds, but a smile teases the corners of his face.

“Yeah yeah Hokage-sama.”

Minato rolls his eyes at his wife, who shoves him playfully. “Well it’s time to head back.”

“Finally!” Obito cheers and takes the lead, while Kushina follows with Kakashi in her arms, Minato following suit with Orochimaru slumped on his shoulder while Rin’s by his side.

It’s only during their brief break that she remembers Kakashi’s hound mask on her hip. She walks over to the unconscious boy on the ground and slides the mask on his face. It’s weird to see Obito’s mask on Kakashi’s body. It dehumanises him in a way, makes him a faceless figure in the crowd.

He’s no longer Kakashi, just hound- or whatever name Kakashi goes by on the road. The same principle applies to Obito, because when he’s not Obito, the clumsy boy with the Will of Fire burning deep inside his determination, then he’s Hound, the Hokage’s shadow who carries the will of fire in the darkest of situations.

It’s unsettling just how Kakashi’s mask mirrors Obito’s. The texture, colour and shape are all the same, even down to the small splinters that are unique to Obito and the paint job that was unique to Hound. The only difference was that Kakashi’s was older, and stained with the sharp smell of blood.

“Sensei, if Kakashi travelled by himself, then he wouldn’t have to worry about anyone else’s scent right?” Obito derails her train of thought. “In fact, he’d probably be trying to catch scents instead of ignoring it right?”

Minato nods. He probably knows where Obito’s going with this, but Rin’s curious about his insight. She looks to Kushina for any hints, but the woman’s busy eating her packed lunch to even care for this discussion.

“Then that would explain why Kakashi took his mask off.” Obito continues. “Or, er, the one he used to wear.”

Rin nods, and understands. Then that would explain why Minato-sensei wanted her to place a mask on Kakashi.

“There’s that.” Minato agrees. “But there’s also the fact that we haven’t actually seen his face, so we wouldn’t be able to recognise him. Especially since his mask and silver hair were his trademark.”

Right, Kakashi has blue- _periwinkle_ hair. It’s a weird choice of colour, and honestly she didn’t expect that Kakashi would choose such an… exotic colour. But it worked, because what no one expected, he did, and that put him under the radar for… two months.

Two months away from home, and it’s because of her own lacking skill as a kunoichi. She’s been depending on her teammates and risking their safety by being the weak link, well no more.

Now that their team is whole, she’ll be their link, and bridge their differences. And she’s not gonna let them go.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Last chapter!!!!!
> 
> I'm honestly like shocked with how far we've come with this story. I never thought it'd get this popular, especially with how outlandish my storyline went lol. But honestly your supportive comments were everything and they supported me in the tough times and really brought me up from my self-doubt.
> 
> Thank you guys so much, I've said it so much, but it's true every time. I don't know what I'd do without you guys.
> 
> This may be the last chapter of this story, however I've got sequel on the way. I'm currently up to the 9th chapter, and I'm planing on uploading it once I hit 12 chapters, so that's not long. We'll have to part for now, but until then, stay safe, stay hydrated, stay clean, and stay healthy.
> 
> I love you guys so much <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3
> 
> `Finished 11:38pm 11/06/20`
> 
> Just a heads up, the sequel will be chemistry themed... but organic chemistry centred, so watch out for any chemistry related titles next week :)

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading and your support!!! Please drop a comment or a kudo, they feed my soul and the soul of this fanfic :D


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